Fantasy Football 2014 Running Back Rankings: Week 3

Author:
Mark Ross
Publish date:
Sep 18, 2014

Injuries and off-field matters have certainly left their mark on the NFL season thus far, as Athlon Sports’ Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings for Week 3 can attest. When Adrian Peterson will return (if he returns) is anyone’s guess, while Jamaal Charles, Doug Martin, Ryan Mathews, Ben Tate, Knowshon Moreno, Maurice Jones-Drew, Mark Ingram and DeAngelo Williams all either got hurt last week or missed last week because of injury. With so many backfields already impacted, it’s good to know there are still some constants to lean on. Such as LeSean McCoy, last year’s rushing champion who has produced back-to-back games of at least 95 total yards. Shady should be in for another productive afternoon when the Eagles host the Redskins on Sunday.

Each week during the NFL season, we will rank enough players at each position to appease everyone from those in 8-team leagues to 16-team leagues, those that can start two QBs, two TEs, three RBs and four WRs. We cut out the rest, because if you're looking at who the 50th-best running back or the 17th-best kicker is for that week, you need more help than any Web site can give you.

Positional Rankings: QB I RB I WR I TE I DST I K

2014 NFL Week 3 Fantasy Football Rankings — Running Backs


Rank	Player	Team	Opp	Comments
1	LeSean McCoy	PHI	vs. WAS	Picked up 102 total yards, TD vs. Colts.
2	DeMarco Murray	DAL	at STL	No. 1 fantasy RB ran wild (167 yds.) vs. Titans.
3	Arian Foster	HOU	at NYG	Two straight 100-yard games for Foster.
4	Marshawn Lynch	SEA	vs. DEN	Just six carries (plus 4 rec., TD) vs. Chargers.
5	Giovani Bernard	CIN	vs. TEN	Gio's talents (90 rush, 79 rec.) on display vs. ATL.
6	Alfred Morris	WAS	at PHI	Who needs catches if you score 2 TDs?
7	Matt Forte	CHI	at NYJ (Mon.)	Bottled up (36 total yds.) vs. 49ers.
8	Le'Veon Bell	PIT	at CAR	107 total yards in loss to Ravens.
9	Eddie Lacy	GB	at DET	Held to just 43 yards rushing vs. Jets.
10	Knile Davis	KC	at MIA	Stepped up (79 yds., 2 TDs) after Charles injury.
11	Montee Ball	DEN	at SEA	Slow start could be prolonged vs. Seahawks.
12	C.J. Spiller	BUF	vs. SD	5.8 ypc + 102-yard KOR for TD vs. MIA.
13	Rashad Jennings	NYG	vs. HOU	109 total yards vs. Cardinals.
14	Zac Stacy	STL	vs. DAL
15	Joique Bell	DET	vs. GB	Twice as many touches (16 to 8) as Bush.
16	Andre Ellington	ARI	vs. SF	Averaging 5.1 ypc despite foot issue.
17	Stevan Ridley	NE	vs. OAK	The 25 carries are certainly encouraging.
18	Darren Sproles	PHI	vs. WAS	Little man came up HUGE (152 rec. yds.) on MNF.
19	Lamar Miller	MIA	vs. KC	Should see bulk of the carries w/ Moreno out.
20	Reggie Bush	DET	vs. GB	Hopefully better matchups ahead for Bush.
21	Frank Gore	SF	at ARI	Big TD run vs. Bears wiped out by penalty.
22	Doug Martin	TB	at ATL (Thurs.)	Late scratch (ankle) last week. Watch closely.
23	Bernard Pierce	BAL	at CLE	Got the work (22 att.) and yards (96).
24	Pierre Thomas	NO	vs. MIN	More work coming w/ Ingram (hand) out?
25	Toby Gerhart	JAC	vs. IND	8 yards on 7 carries not getting it done.
26	Chris Johnson	NYJ	vs. CHI (Mon.)	Averaging just 3.6 yards per carry thus far.
27	Ahmad Bradshaw	IND	at JAC	70 yds. rushing and 2 rec. TDs.
28	Terrance West	CLE	vs. BAL	Rookie did his job (68, TD) vs. Saints.
29	Shane Vereen	NE	vs. OAK	Out-touched (25 to 7), upstaged by Ridley.
30	Matt Asiata	MIN	at NO	His job for now w/ Peterson on exempt list.
31	Bobby Rainey	TB	at ATL (Thurs.)	Exploded for 144 yds. In Martin's absence.
32	Chris Ivory	NYJ	vs. CHI (Mon.)	Just 43 yards, but was still better than CJ.
33	Khiry Robinson	NO	vs. MIN	Figures to benefit from Ingram's (hand) injury.
34	Donald Brown	SD	at BUF	Should see more work w/ Mathews out.
35	Trent Richardson	IND	at JAC	Looked great against Eagles until fumble.
36	Fred Jackson	BUF	vs. SD	Spiller more effective against Dolphins.
37	Steven Jackson	ATL	vs. TB (Thus.)	Yet to be much of factor.
38	Danny Woodhead	SD	at BUF	Will his role change w/ Mathews (MCL) out?
39	Shonn Greene	TEN	at CIN
40	Darren McFadden	OAK	at NE	Out-rushed by QB (37 to 58) w/ MJD out.
41	Jeremy Hill	CIN	vs. TEN	15 carries and first career TD vs. Falcons.
42	Jonathan Stewart	CAR	vs. PIT	Struggled as starter w/ DeAngelo (thigh) out.
43	DeAngelo Williams	CAR	vs. PIT	Did not play last week b/c of thigh injury.
44	Justin Forsett	BAL	at CLE	8 carries vs. BAL compared to 22 for Pierce.
45	Isaiah Crowell	CLE	vs. BAL	11 carries a good sign for him moving forward.
46	Carlos Hyde	SF	at ARI
47	Bishop Sankey	TEN	at CIN	Gets two carries in loss to Cowboys.
48	Jerick McKinnon	MIN	at NO	Rookie could get more opportunities w/ Peterson out.